RSABI Health Hut Nurse selected for Queen’s Award

A community nurse who has been working with Scottish agricultural charity, RSABI, on the delivery of its pioneering Health Hut initiative, has been selected for the prestigious Queen’s Nurse Award.

Irene Scott taking the blood pressure of NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy

Irene Scott started working with RSABI at the Royal Highland Show last summer and has played a key role in the delivery of the Health Hut initiative as it has developed over the past year.

Irene has been working with RSABI to take 100s of farmers’ blood pressures at agricultural events, as well as offering health and wellbeing advice to people of all ages in Scottish agriculture.

An auction mart programme is currently being delivered on a pilot basis working in partnership with ANM Group with farmers being offered free “wellbeing MOTs” on busy sale days at the Thainstone Centre, Inverurie.

As well as blood pressure testing, the Health Hut at Thainstone has been offering cholesterol tests, early diabetes detection and advice on a wide range of physical and mental wellbeing areas – from alcohol consumption to nutrition and exercise.

RSABI is delighted that Irene has been recognised as a Queen’s Nurse, which is awarded by the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS) in recognition of high levels of commitment to patient care and nursing practice.

Irene said: “To be selected for the Queen’s Nurse Award is real honour, especially when QNIS only offer this programme to a small number of health professionals, from all areas of community nursing across Scotland, each year.”

“My work with RSABI’s Health Hut encompasses all the values outlined in the Queen’s Nurse programme and I am looking forward to being part of the future development of the Health Hut in Scotland.”

Jimmy McLean, Chair of RSABI, extended the charity’s warmest congratulations: “Irene has been an integral part of our Health Hut initiative, and it is wonderful to see her being recognised as a Queen’s Nurse.

"With Irene’s professionalism and love of farming, RSABI have had an excellent response to the Health Hut project and we are looking forward to taking the project forward and looking at rolling it out around the country.”

Grant Rogerson, Chief Executive of ANM Group, said “It is fantastic that Irene has been recognised as a Queen’s Nurse through the delivery of the RSABI Health Hut in partnership with ANM Group – it is thoroughly well-deserved and huge congratulations to Irene from everyone at ANM.

“The initiative, through Irene’s passion, caring, knowledge and skill, offers great support to individual farmers, and we have been delighted with its success at Thainstone Centre.

"We encourage all visitors attending the Spring Show to make the most of the Health Hut at the event.”

RSABI offers free practical, financial, and emotional support including counselling services, delivered quickly after receiving the initial enquiry.

Its free confidential support service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, by calling 0808 1234 555 (calls won’t show up on phone bills) or through a confidential webchat service, available on RSABI’s website www.rsabi.org.uk.

You can find further information on the RSABI website www.rsabi.org.uk.